Alaska Glacier excursion and Gold Castaway member

[RysMomma]

Hi there,

We're looking at Alaska for 2025. Part of me is really thinking we're going to do Disney for this cruise. While we did a RC cruise recently and had fun, we felt like something was missing. That being said, we're looking at the excursions and seeing about how much we would spend on them. So I'm curious about the glacier boat excursion. Is this one that is hard to get unless you're Platinum? Or have all levels booked it?

Thanks so much!

 

[soniam]

We booked it as silver in June. The cruise wasn’t full though but definitely busy enough.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

We booked as gold a few years back. Book it on your opening day. You should be fine. it was fantastic by the way

 

[auntlynne]

Lots of discussion of this during last 2023 season. You should be able to do a search on it in this forum.

Some who missed booking it in their initial window were able to pick it up as others dropped reservations.

 

[Joel0917]

If you are able to book the first boat. The second one seems anticlimactic as the ship was already in view of the glacier and looked at it for two hours. We were in the first time a lot and beat the boat by 30 minutes so it was awesome.

 

[spankswife]

We are silver and I heard ours sold out with platinum. We also only had one excursion that day. I think I was #100 on the wait list. I checked every single day and it never opened.

However, we were able to get really close with our boat, and I heard we didn’t miss much. I really wanted it, and was really upset we didn’t get it, but I will tell you I was not the least bit disappointed after the fact. So try, but don’t let it get you down if you don’t get it.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

If you are able to book the first boat. The second one seems anticlimactic as the ship was already in view of the glacier and looked at it for two hours. We were in the first time a lot and beat the boat by 30 minutes so it was awesome.

I have to agree-plus you get to see the Wonder sailing in...

 

[Joel0917]

But I ageee with others if you don’t get it you will see plenty from the wonder

 

[GMG_3]

book if you can, also recommend the helicopter flight at Skagway. Place is next to the docks so we booked privately.

 

[msmama]

We're doing Alaska this coming summer. The one thing that has kept me from doing it before now is the prices. I've done Panama Canal, Med, Iceland/Norway, Transatlantic both ways on DCL but I haven't been able to get myself to pay Alaska prices (before now). They're SOOO expensive! Even doing not DCL port adventures is expensive. We're doing the 9 night which was what finally sold me.

For the glacier excursion, I've decided if I can get the first sailing, I'll do it, but if I can't, then I'll skip it. And I'll force myself to be happy either way.

I'm very much NOT interested in flying anything or anywhere so that rules out helicopters and float planes which lowers my price point considerably.

 

[soniam]

We're doing Alaska this coming summer. The one thing that has kept me from doing it before now is the prices. I've done Panama Canal, Med, Iceland/Norway, Transatlantic both ways on DCL but I haven't been able to get myself to pay Alaska prices (before now). They're SOOO expensive! Even doing not DCL port adventures is expensive. We're doing the 9 night which was what finally sold me.

For the glacier excursion, I've decided if I can get the first sailing, I'll do it, but if I can't, then I'll skip it. And I'll force myself to be happy either way.

I'm very much NOT interested in flying anything or anywhere so that rules out helicopters and float planes which lowers my price point considerably.

We did it. It was fine, but the glacier was disappointing from the small boat. The view from the ship looked amazing. I don’t think you will regret it either way.

 

[RysMomma]

You guys are awesome! Thank you so much!

 

[DCLMP]

We did it. It was fine, but the glacier was disappointing from the small boat. The view from the ship looked amazing. I don’t think you will regret it either way.

I've also read that it depends on how much ice is in that water that determines which glacier you go to. One of them is disappointing. I booked it and then canceled it because were sailing in May.

 

[gilsan]

I booked it last year as a gold. I ended up cancelling it because the cruises before ours were getting very close to the glacier on the ship so we decided to save our money and book another excursion I am glad we did. You can see how close we got. Those boats are the second excursion heading out. These are pictures from Deck 4.

 

[RysMomma]

I booked it last year as a gold. I ended up cancelling it because the cruises before ours were getting very close to the glacier on the ship so we decided to save our money and book another excursion I am glad we did. You can see how close we got. Those boats are the second excursion heading out. These are pictures from Deck 4.

View attachment 827588

View attachment 827589

That's AMAZING!

 

[Jeni1781]

I have heard to do the later one so you have time to get the character photos? We book our excursions in a few weeks. Anyone have input on getting character photos and doing the excursion?

 

[gilsan]

I have heard to do the later one so you have time to get the character photos? We book our excursions in a few weeks. Anyone have input on getting character photos and doing the excursion?

Yes. if you want to meet the characters on the top decks do the later excursion.

 

[teach22180]

I was able to get my photo with Mickey on deck 9 and then get on the first boat. It turned out to be a good thing because the photos moved to deck 4 in the gazebo due to rain after just a short time.

I would agree with pp that earlier in the season there is more ice in the water, and the Wonder can't get as close to the glacier. I'm thinking if I went again in September, I wouldn't spend the money on the small boat. If I went in May or June, I would.

 

[soniam]

I was able to get my photo with Mickey on deck 9 and then get on the first boat. It turned out to be a good thing because the photos moved to deck 4 in the gazebo due to rain after just a short time.

I would agree with pp that earlier in the season there is more ice in the water, and the Wonder can't get as close to the glacier. I'm thinking if I went again in September, I wouldn't spend the money on the small boat. If I went in May or June, I would.

We went early June this last summer. Wonder got really close. I don’t think the ice is staying around as much anymore. The glacier the little boat went to looked like garbage. It was filthy and looked to mostly be rocks.

 

[Kwami]

We went early June this last summer. Wonder got really close. I don’t think the ice is staying around as much anymore. The glacier the little boat went to looked like garbage. It was filthy and looked to mostly be rocks.

I was on the last cruise in August this last summer and we couldn't get anywhere near the glacier. There was a big chunk of ice in the water that blocked our way. It was really disappointing! The smaller boats were able to get much, much closer than the Wonder could.